Entwined to Eternity;Update on page 74 (3rd Dec) - Page 42

"Undoubtedly the crime in the city has increased to such a level that not only the officials but the public need to take some measures... n the reason for increase in this crime is the mentality of our society.. The male dominant society still thinks that women are to be judged by their clothes... n no one can explain them that what we wear is our clothes and not our character... The length of the clothes doesn't give us the character certificate... The way we behave our friends depends on our comfort level and not their gender... if we hug someone on the road than we are not characterless... If we have spent a night outside our house with male friend doesn't ensure that we are ready to sleep with that guy. I do not understand why girl always has to prove it's purity.. we girls are human and not some gold who can come with any purity mark.. It's the time that we girl take a step and prove that we are human and we have self respect... This is 21^st century and now no sita will give agni pariksha... This man are not Ram than why do they expect us to be like Sita?? It's time to show the real women empowerment." Rachu said while remembering the incident took place in the morning.. Her eyes were moist by Romi's accusations... The noise of claps brings her back to the reality. She realizes she is sitting in the conference hall and they are discussing about the next edition of the magazine. Being a crime reporter Rachu too was involved in the discussion but she deviated from the real topic...

"I think Rachana has a valid point... n we can write an article on it... Though it's not related to crime but it can be surely used below the article of that politician who said that women invite Rape by wearing revealing clothes." Said one of the member present in the conference hall.

The discussion went on and on but Rachu was visibly distracted.. She somehow managed to keep her calm as the whole day in the office was messed up.. She has not even completed one of her task properly. She was supposed to submit the report on drug racket on which she was working but she failed to extract much useful information in past few days.

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The clock strokes 7 and she thanks god for ending the most messed up day of office. She takes out her car keys and leaves the place... She switches on music to divert her mind... The music plays..

She remembers Romi and the silent conversation which takes place between them.. how she read the pain in his eyes and how she experienced the loneliness in he is facin.She bangs her fist on the steering wheel... switches off the music and stops the car ..

"Concentrate Rachu... he is not the type of man whom u should think about... It was just an attraction n it's over...Move on!!" She tried explaining herself but all her efforts were going into vein. Her ego and self respect was hurt but deep inside she wants to go and see Romi once.. wants to slap him for what he did and hug him for comforting herself.. Somewhere she knew that the person who hurt her so badly is the only one who can soothe the pain.

"beep beep" a message popped on her mobile.. It's the reminder message of Prem that she needs to be at his home for the dinner. She starts driving again fully concentrating on road and trying not to think about Romi.. In no time her car was outside Prem's bunglow.

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Romi was pacing restlessly in his room... The events of the day were too hard for him to sit peacefully. The way he hurt Rachana was hurting him more than her. Numerous time he tried to justify his action but all the time the guilt overpowered him. Once again he tries his luck to justify himself.. "She betrayed me... She had the boyfriend. N what I said to her was right... Though I should not have commented on her clothes but she should have told me about her boyfriend in first meet."

The frustration on Romi's face was visible... Somewhere he knew that he was wrong but his fat ego was not letting him accept it. Someone knocks on the door.. He lifts his face and looks at Monu who was standing there smiling. He gestures Monu to come inside.

Monu offers him the chocolate he was eating.. Romi takes a bite from it and thanks Monu.. for the first time he was not angry on kid and do not want to shoo him away.

"Do u have some exam??" Monu asked innocently.

"No.. why??" Romi replied in confusion.

"I make such faces when I have exams and u know Rachu didi gives me the chocolate to eat.. It brings smile on my face but y don't u smile ever??"

Romi remembers Rani and the reason his smile was lost when he was the kid.

"Will u be able to smile after losing ur precious thing?? I lost something which was so precious to me that I forgot smiling." Romi replied to Monu's question for the first time in so many days.

"Precious thing.. u mean as precious as my parents were?? U know I loved them so much but I still smile as Rachu did told me that my parents are with God... God needs them more than I do. I asked him why he dint took me with them but Rachu di told that God left me here so that I can bring smile on the face of people who comes in the rehab. But I failed to bring smile on ur face... Will God take away me with him now??" Monu said smilingly.. Romi hugs monu on hearing it. He tries to give a fake smile to make him happy and says, "No.. God will never take u with him."

"Please... leave it!! U don't know even how to smile... Anyways why r u sad?? U can share ur problem with me. U know m a big boy now and can solve everyone's problem." Monu said proudly while looking at his fake smile.

"I have hurt someone... I feel the mistake was hers but I was too harsh on her and I do not know what to do."

"Simple... apologize. Rachu di says we should always apologize after making mistake. And bring a gift for ur friend."

Romi nods. Monu gives him a quick peck on the cheek and runs from there. Romi gets surprise on this behavior but decides to apologize Rachu as Monu is a kid and his advice can't be wrong.

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Rachu is having dinner with Granny and Prem.. She was quite than usual and now Granny is really worried for her. Prem gives Granny an assuring look. After dinner Rachu decides to leave.. Prem tells her to meet on video chat as he needs to share lots of things to her... Rachu tries to deny but reluctantly agrees on Prem's pressure. She grabs her car keys and leaves the place without saying proper good bye to Granny n Prem... She dint even hugged Bruno today.

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Romi who was googling the ways to pacify a girl was getting frustrated.. He reads out few points and note them in a paper. When he hears another knock on the door.. Frustrated he opens the door and looks at one of his side kick standing on the door in dress of rehab staff.. He is shocked to see him and asks the reason for his coming... The boy hands him a letter, tells him to read and runs away from there before anyone can notice him. Romi reads the letter which was by John. John has reminded him that his 10 days of rehab are about to over and he should complete his work as soon as possible. Romi remembers the mission he was here for and decides to be friend with Rachana at any cost as he can't disappoint his baba.

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Rachu reaches her home... With heavy heart she opens the door and throws her bag on the bed... She takes out her baby pink night suit and ties her hair upside... She takes out her diary and starts jotting down her feelings in the form of poem.

Is dil ko kese samjhaye q hai hum unse khafa

Jo na sochi thi kabhi ki hai unhone aisi khata

Hum toh khush the unke deedar k liye

Par dil tod unhone na jaane kis bat ki di hai hume saza

Maaf unhe shayad ab hum kar na payege

Par unse due rehna hai ye dil ko kese samjhayege

Frustrated she throws her diary... she doesn't want to complete her poem as well. She remembers how Prem wanted to chat with her n opens the laptop. She straightly asks him what he wants to share about..

"I met Pakhi today... u know she is a sweetheart. In the short drive we shared to his home.. we became good friends. We even exchanged our number s."

"Hmm... that's great." Rachu tried to sound excited but failed.

"Spill the bean". Prem asked.

"What bean?? What r u talking about??"

" Do u want me to explain... u know what I am talking about.. So tell me why ur Romi hurt u. u r sounding low after u returned from Rehab n I know it's coz of him only. So just temme. I know u do not share ur probs with anyone but Rachu this time Granny is worried as well so u need t tell me the reasons."

Rach nods her head and tells him the complete incident in detail... She tells him how badly she is hurt coz of him and don't want to see his face again. Prem laughs loudly on seeing it. Rach looks at him in shock.

"I am sad and u r laughing... what's wrong with u??"

"Rachu... do u remember Juhi??"

"Off course I do... She was my best friend in 3^rd standard n I still remember how she fell on the stairs coz of u... Ohh God!! Poor girl was not able to play garba with me. Her leg got fractured and she was not able to get up from her bed for 3 months. That was really a bad accident."

"And what if I confess that it wasn't an accident??"

"What do u mean?? U did that deliberately?? Common.. u too were in 5^th standard only."

"Yep.. I did it coz I was jealous of her. That day on roof she was boasting that she is ur garba partner and ur best friend as well... I was the kid and insecure that she might take my place in ur life... I was ur best friend and we used to play garba together but u selected her as ur partner which hurt me very much and I pushed her from the stairs. That time I dint knew that it will hurt her so much. N poor girl thought it as an accident."

"Ohh God Prem!! R u serious?? How could u think that someone else can take ur place in my life??"

"I was insecure Rachu... Ur closeness with Juhi was threatening me. I dint understood what was right and wrong and in fit of anger I just pushed her. Today I know that no one can take my place in ur life coz we have developed a strong bond over a period of time.. But that time our friendship was new and the bond wasn't strong. I was jealous... just the way Romi is."

Astonishingly Rachu looks at Prem.. He gives her a knowing smile and tells her to think on this. Prem's words were affecting her... He was talking sense and she recalls how he accidently blurted that he saw her hugging Prem. With confused expression she disconnects the call saying she needs to sleep. But sleep was away from her eyes...She is still thinking about Prem's word and Romi's jealousy. A smile appeared on her face on realizing that Romi was jealous and that means he has some feelings for him. She wears her baby pink night suit and switches on the tv... After a hour or two She feels hungry as she has not eaten properly at Prem's house due to her anger. She takes out the big bowl of icecream from the freeze and start eating it with the smile... When she hears a sound from the drawing room... It was the sound of breaking of vase.. She thinks it's the thief and picks the baseball bat which Granny have kept beside her bed.. She sees a silhouette and slowly reaches towards it.. was about to hit the man when he turns around and they fall on the sofa... Rachana screams in fear when he keeps his palm on her mouth... she bites him.. "Ouch" he said in pain.. Rachana recognizes the voice as Romi.. She pushes him away and switches on the light.

"What r u doing here??" screamed Rachana.

He holds his ears and apologizes for his mistake. Rachana fakes anger and turns her face... He offers the flower which he has bought for her... She takes them and keeps on the side.. trying to hide her smile and keeping the stern face.. he offers her the chocolate.. She takes them and tells him that she is still angry. Finally he gifts her a sheet which was rolled and tied... She opens it and surprised on seeing her portrait..

"It's beautiful. U sketched it??" She asked.

Romi nods in yes and remembers how he read that girls like the efforts of boys and how he made her portrait. Rachu hugs him in excitement... Romi doesn't know how to react.. Her touch was igniting the spark inside him.. Finally he lifts his hand to hug her back but she leaves him by then.

"So how u managed to come out of Rehab... m sure no one knows about it as it is against the rule."

"When there is a will there is a way. I think I should go now... before anyone notices my absence."

"Stay for some more time...Being the volunteer I can take u outside."

Romi nods in affirmative.. He too dint want to go.

"What a girl she is.. she has a bf still she doesn't mind stopping a stranger in her house. " Romi thought.

"Why the hell I stopped him?? He is a stranger and it can be dangerous for me than y do I trust him so much??" Rachu thought.